The Young and the Bustless

I just recently checked out a few news stories like this one on parents buying their teenaged daughters bigger breasts. And of course – I have some two cents I’d like to share on it.

So some women want bigger breasts. That’s fine. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend paying to have to wear over-the-shoulder-boulder-holders for the rest of one’s life, but hey – it’s your money and your body. Knock yourself out.

My issue is with WHEN these young women are getting them. For Sweet 16 birthdays, as high school graduation presents, as college-going-away gifts. Are the parents of these girls crazy? Don’t they understand that a young woman’s body is still developing and maturing well into her early 20’s? Don’t they hear about the potential complications associated with breast implants?

Most importantly - don’t they remember how cruel and immature elementary, junior high and high school kids can be, and what a twisted impact they can leave on a vulnerable teenager’s ego? High school can leave a girl with average B or C cups feeling like an undeveloped freak. Do they really want their daughters to enter life-effecting surgery armed with nothing but the experiences they’ve had with puberty-infected boys, mean girls and magazine models?

As a reminder folks, here are some of the potential health risks associated with breast implants:

• Interfere with mammography and cancer diagnosis
• Mammograms can rupture implants
• Interference with breastfeeding
• Eventually, most women with implants will experience pain, hardening and rupturing – with follow-up procedures and additional operations being required in the long term
• Infections and blood clots
• Breast implants are not regulated by the FDA
• Suspicion of being linked to autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis
• There are still unanswered safety questions and concerns regarding alleged links between implants and other illnesses
  

Sure, plenty of women get the implants and never report any real problems. Still sounds like a risky procedure to me, and I don’t think it should be taken lightly. I mean, come on. You have to be 21 before you are legally mature enough to drink alcohol. Yet we think our teenagers are mature enough to take on the undergoing of expensive, flesh-altering surgeries just for the sake of cosmetics? Because the fashion industry says that A and B cups aren’t hip right now?

Maybe I’m just out of touch, and times are really different. But when I was a young girl, and somebody asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I’d reply with a specific career. “Big busted” was just never one of my answers.

It bothers me that we have so many young women that are so concerned about their body images in this way. It bothers me even more that the parents are indulging them in these negative self images. I’m not referring to the fact that they spent so much money on these surgeries for their daughters, but rather the fact that at this stage in their lives, parents need to be telling their children that they should be focused on their mental and emotional growth – not the growth or lack thereof of their intimate body parts. I mean look – my parents gave me a $7,000+ present for high school graduation, too. It was called College Tuition.

What’s your opinion?

The Milkshake Transformation

I am 9 months pregnant with my second child, and yet I still find myself alarmed by the changes that our bodies go through during pregnancy. You can read about what is going to happen in all of the medical books and online articles, but that still won’t adequately prepare you for changes that will consist of more than just thy cup runneth over. So I feel compelled to personally share with you ladies in the early stages of pregnancy, or who simply hope to get pregnant someday, some of the things that I have experienced.

1. Tender Breasts. For the first 1/3 of my pregnancy, it felt like my boobs were often on fire. If somebody hugged me too tight I’d wince and wriggle away. If my 3 year-old son tried to bury his face between my bosom for comfort, I’d be the one shedding tears. If my husband tried to give my growing grapefruits a grope, I’d often slap him away ferociously. And I like being groped!

Because of the tenderness, sleeping without a bra (particularly if you already had large breasts to begin with) actually becomes particularly uncomfortable because they are too free to move, and moving them hurts! I sleep in a wireless cotton sports bra and try to wear only super-supportive, non-lacy bras during the day for comfort. Oh - and I try to keep my preschooler and my husband at arms length at all times.

Why do the breasts become so tender? Mainly because of the increased hormones in a pregnant woman’s body, much like how many women experience sensitive breasts as part of their monthly cycles. Also, extra tissue and blood are being transported to your boobs in preparation for their transformation from fun bags into milk jugs.

2. New Nipples. Or at least they seem like they are now new nipples, not mine! They always seem to be standing at full attention! Which isn’t exactly fun (nor discrete), because they are bigger, fuller, tingly, tender and extra, extra sensitive.

Now, how that extra sensitivity affects one’s love life would vary from woman to woman and from time to time. But for me, the first trimester my nipples were on Do Not Disturb. Second trimester, nipple attention from my husband with just the right pressure was even better than eating chocolate. Third trimester, they (along with the rest of my body) have gone on extreme security lockdown. Triple padlock, laser beams, stun ray and all.

3. Expanding Areolas. At first, I thought it was just my imagination that my areola seemed to have begun to resemble helicopter landing pads. But when I found myself consistently getting attacked by my husband every time I stepped out of the shower, I realized that the dark area around my nipples really WERE getting darker and bigger. Apparently, the purpose of this is so that your areola can act as target rings for your nipples, so that the baby, and the baby’s daddy, will always and easily know just where to aim.


4. Ever-increasing Bust. My milk hasn’t even come in all the way yet, and I am already a cup and a half and a bra-size bustier than I was before. Buying bras that will only fit temporarily just isn’t fun for me, but it is pretty much a must. I suppose you could go buy those bra extensions thingies that hook on the back of your bras so that your same old ones can be stretched across your now wider back and breastbone, but if you’re like me, that won’t be satisfactory because of your cup increase as well. Also, your breasts are going to become heavier – meaning you will likely need more support than you did before. And if you want to ensure that your new heavier breasts won’t leave you with permanently saggy flesh on your chest in the future, you may want to make sure that you are wearing a comfortably supportive bra to bed at night.

Another thing – you may want to keep those boobs generously moisturized. On top of being super tender to bounce and touch, sometimes my breasts itch. For me, rapidly growing breasts = suddenly stretched flesh which results in the feeling of itchy skin (which is exactly what happens with your belly in the last trimester – it gets itchy because the skin is stretching so much and so rapidly). Maybe this isn’t alarming to anyone else, but having to stop and turn around to rake my nails across my boobs before anybody else notices just really puts me off. Making sure that I treat them with baby oil twice a day (along with my belly) works like a charm.

5. Eww …Veins. So not only are your breasts bigger, tender, itchy, heavy and sporting a strange new set of nipples and areolas, the skin on them won’t even look the same during pregnancy. They look veiny – the fairer your skin the more visible the veins of course – but I am a tad darker than cappuccino and the appearance of the bluish veins still catches me off guard each time I spy them in the mirror. Supposedly, those veins are carrying the fluids and nutrients from mother to baby, but I say it is just further evidence that I’m a victim of an invasion of the Body Snatchers. Just part of the excitement of being a mother-to-be!

Sweaty Boobs

Do you have sweaty boobs? Many big-busted women have to deal with sweating under and in between the boobs, especially during the warm-weather season. It can be uncomfortable, annoying, and if extreme, can even cause more serious problems. If the moisture under and in between the breasts is extreme, it can cause chaffing, raw skin, rashes, unpleasant odors, and yeast infections.

I know many women are trying to find the solution to controlling the boob sweat. So, here’s some tips that have helped women minimize and cope with sweaty boobs. Hopefully these tips might help you!

Please note, these are only suggestions from various women who have had to deal with sweaty boobs. These tips should not be considered as medical advice.

Tips on Controlling Sweaty Boobs:
1. Placing powder under and in between the breasts after each shower or bath can help with keeping the sweat down. Powdering more than once a day under and in between the breasts might help if once a day isn’t good enough.
2. Placing small cloths (or even paper towels) under and between the breasts, and changing them when they get moist will help in absorbing the sweat.
3. Using a push-up bra or any bra that helps lift your breasts up should help in minimizing the sweat.
4. Making sure to wash well under and in between the breasts will help unpleasant odor from developing as well as sweat.
5. Some women says it helps to place deodorant underneath and in between the breasts.
6. If your boob sweat is extreme and is causing serious problems, consult a doctor.
7. An inventor got a patent on a bra that had built-in absorbent pads that place beneath the breasts when the bra is worn. Not sure if this invention was ever manufactured though.
8. And of course, a breast reduction is always an option!

The Nipplage Ultimatum

Is there any situation where nipplage is acceptable? I say "it depends". There is a time and a place for you to show off your nipples. At work is not one of those places. Just this week, two women where I work were having this particular issue. It can be quite distracting for the all those working with you because YOU KNOW THEY'RE GONNA LOOK. You're poor co-workers are now waking around with the image of your nipples burned into their brain while they are trying to work and unless you work at a strip joint, this is quite unacceptable.

Church would be another place...but I think you are getting the picture.

So when is it acceptable? Ah! When it's purposeful. Like underneath that silk blouse that clings lightly to your skin...you know, the one you wear without a bra when you're going out to the club. (sorry my ample chested ladies...I know you can't relate) Or underneath that slinky nightgown that you are trying to entice your significant other with and you made sure you had nipplage before you walked into the room. Other exceptions (swim suit *sometimes*, workout gear...nekkit)

So, you may ask, how do you stop nipplage? Get the right bra! Most bras come with light padding just for this purpose. If this is not enough, for those of you with larger nipples, choose a bra that as ample padding. If you want to go without a bra, then there is a little thing called nipple concealers. They work like a charm. You just stick them on and you are good to go.
So ladies, choose your bra wisely. Make sure you have those nipples under control and not making eyes at your co-workers giving them the wrong idea. There is a time and a place.

Choose wisely.

We Must, We Must, We Must Increase Our Bust!!

Ladies, the only way to increase your bust size is to either gain weight or a boob job. However, doing chest exercises, preferably with weights, can change the overall appearance of your chestal area. Women don't tend to train as hard in the area but take example from men, ladies, train it! Paying special attention to this area can increase the appearance of fullness. In addition, increasing the muscle mass in the chest area can give a little added support let alone adding strength. Win-Win right?

For those of you with a small bust line that want SOME essence of cleavage...try some of these exercises because a plunging neckline showing off the outline of your breastplate is so-not-cute.

Some great exercises I like are:

Bench Press
Incline Bench Press
Decline Bench Press
Cable Cross Over
Pec Flys
and good old fashioned Push Ups

I am preaching from the Good Book here ladies! Take it from someone who's competed in bodybuilding. You'll look great in a tank top, tube top...hell any top. Secret is to flex for your photo opp. [check out my profile pic...tube looks nice eh??]

As a disclaimer, please contact your doctor before starting any exercise routine and ask a trainer if you don't know how to do some of these exercises, or do them correctly. I can't have you all getting hurt. Also, a diet high in protein will help you gain muscle mass while you train. Talk to your fitness dietitian. So be safe and flex those chest muscles!

The Power of the Bust ...

…should never be underestimated.

I happen to know from experience that the right underwear with a sexy outfit on pretty much any woman can be a lethal combination, creating the power to cause either good fortune or mayhem. Such fortunes as never actually getting a speeding ticket, displacement to the very front of the line outside a packed club, and getting an absentee co-worker to actually show up at meetings. However, hard-to-ignore sexiness has also cost in the form of being accused of inappropriate dress at work (even when the outfit is a business suit or doesn’t have a revealing neckline), not being taken seriously, even the life of a squirrel merely trying to cross the road in front of a truck driver who apparently hadn’t seen another pretty girl all day.

So when I read this article on Yahoo News yesterday entitled “Too sexy for my bus”, I felt compelled to remind us ladies just how dangerous our curves can be. In this story, a woman complains about a driver who stopped his vehicle and asked her to either change seats or get off the bus, because every time he looked in his rearview mirror he was distracted by her cleavage. Though she changed seats, she said, she felt humiliated.

Humiliated? Why should she feel humiliated?! She wasn’t the one who couldn’t concentrate on the road because a hot chick was in her line of vision! She was the one with the power, power enough to distract a grown man from properly doing his job. Ladies – don’t disregard the power of your sex appeal or feel ashamed of it. Know that you have it, and that you were designed to have it to attract (and often that means to distract).

Now, some may say that this man should have been mature enough to simply ignore her boobage and drive the bus. I happen to disagree – I think it took a lot of maturity and professionalism for this man to try to get a distraction out of his direct line of sight instead of risking the safety of his passengers and others on the road. Make fun of him or be upset with him all you want – but that doesn’t change the fact that a woman’s sex appeal can be a very powerful force, indeed. Or the fact that this bus driver was man enough to admit that he was susceptible to succumbing to it.

What? Did you think the term “drop-dead gorgeous” came about for no reason?



Share your thoughts on this news story!

Underwire Bras and Breast Cancer...Is There Really a Connection?

Is there really a connection between wearing an underwire bra and breast cancer? That’s a question many women would like to know the answer to, including me.

First let’s take a look at how the idea that underwire bras cause breast cancer started. In 1995 two researchers wrote a book in which they claimed that women who wore tight-fitting bras sharply increased their risks of developing breast cancer. Since underwire bras are said to be one of the most constrictive types of bra, they were considered dangerous.

Let’s look a bit deeper into how these researchers supported their theory scientifically. There are lymph pathways in the armpits, between the breasts, and under the breasts through which lymph fluid flows. Lymph fluid helps to wash impurities out of the breasts through the lymph pathways. They believed that tight bras restrict the flow of lymph fluid in the breasts by blocking these pathways. If this actually occurs, then the impurities, and cancer cell chemicals, are prevented from leaving the breasts. The fluid is then said to attach to the fat tissues in the breast and lumps begin to form. If the lumps contain cancerous cells then that is when breast cancer would begin to form.

Supporters of this theory also believe there are other ways tight-fitting bras may cause breast caner. One is that they believe tight bras cause increase of the prolactin hormone and a decrease in the melatonin hormone. Melatonin is an antioxidant that helps to slow the growth of breast cancer.

Now on the other side of this debate, critics of this theory say the two anthropologists who wrote the book did not conduct their research according to the standard research principles, and did not consider other variables such as known risks factors for breast cancer of those involved in the study. For example, some of the women who participated in the study may have already been at a higher risk of developing breast cancer due to other health factors. But this study did not consider those factors. It is highly argued that this study is not supported by any credible evidence.

According to scientists there isn’t any evidence that can prove that underwire bras increase the risks of breast cancer. Even though there hasn’t been research to support this theory other than the book, but you may want to consider thinking about it.